Metro maps, they are a work of art. Luckily, I have brought a metro map placemat home from a recent trip to Paris. Never a dull moment during dinner. We search for coincidences like stations with the name of another city – Anvers, Rome, and Liège – or stations referring to a date – 8…

Last week – when summer was still here – I was sitting on my balcony, when I heard a familiar sound echoing between the buildings. It was a click. Not the subtle click of a light switch, but quite a firm one. Metal on metal. The result of human action and a spring. And I…

It is a question that pops up every time you go on a holiday. What am I going to read? And the answer matters, really. It adds to your experience of travelling which books you read. The independent statements of two novelists have convinced me to select my paper travel companions with care. Unfortunately, they…